S
ophia leaned back in her chair and contentedly sipped her tea. The roaring fire popped and crackled, lulling her into an almost hypnotic state. She jumped when the door to her chambers swung open, grateful there wasn’t enough tea remaining in her cup to spill onto her robe.
Elizabeth bounded in. “You look comfy.” She lifted the bottle of cider she held.
“No, thank you. I’ve already had a brandy today.”
“I thought you might want a mug anyway, to celebrate. You did well.”
“Yes, I did, didn’t I?” Sophia murmured.
Elizabeth poured herself a mug of cider and sat next to Sophia. “What’s wrong? I thought you’d be pleased with yourself.”
“I am. But I can’t help but wonder whether I’m just a pawn in all of this.”
“All of what?”
Sophia set her cup and saucer down on the table next to her chair and gazed at Elizabeth. “Lillian, probably the most powerful mage we’ve seen this century, will soon pledge her life to Maddy, a sister who went to prison because she can’t light a candle, and in their care will be Emmey, a child Salbine has gone to great lengths to bring to us. I can’t help but think that pieces are being positioned on a board I can’t see.”
Elizabeth stood and lifted Sophia’s teacup to sniff its contents.
Sophia leaned away from her. “What are you doing?”
“Checking to see if you turned down the cider because you’ve already added a couple of dollops of brandy to your tea.”
“I did no such thing!” Sophia snatched up her cup and saucer the moment Elizabeth set the cup down. “But perhaps I am seeing something that isn’t there,” she added at Elizabeth’s smirk.
Elizabeth shrugged as she returned to her chair. “It’s just happenstance.”
“Or me.”
“What do you mean?”
“Being sentimental. Here I am, in front of the fire with a nice cup of tea, thinking about my sister and how she’ll pledge next week. I never thought I’d see it, Elizabeth.”
“You’re pleased, I hope.”
“Very pleased. She and Maddy will do well together.” Sophia sipped her tea. “And that’s another thing. Out of all the initiates Lillian could have ended up with for fire training, she ended up with Maddy.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Doesn’t it make more sense that they became involved because Maddy was assigned to Lillian, rather than believing that Maddy was assigned to Lillian because they were supposed to become involved?”
“I suppose so.” But she still couldn’t shake the feeling that Salbine, or one of the other gods, was orchestrating events. After arranging for Emmey to stay at the Carmichaels, she’d envisioned her at the monastery and felt uneasy. Now she felt as if Emmey was where she belonged, and with whom she belonged. Sophia looked down at her tea. Or perhaps she was a sentimental fool who hadn’t wanted to tear a child away from the sister who loved her, and was now trying to justify her weakness. Time would tell. “I hope Lillian and Emmey get on all right. It might be a bit difficult for them at first, poor things.”
“I think Maddy deserves our sympathy more than they do. She’ll always be caught in the middle.”
Sophia chuckled. “Perhaps you’re right. And she’ll be a splendid guardian. Emmey couldn’t have asked for a better influence as she grows into a young woman.”
Elizabeth stared at her. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“What?”
“That Maddy won’t be Emmey’s only influence. Her other primary influence will be Lillian.”
“Oh, you’re right.” Visions of a young woman hunched over a tome, muttering bloody this and bloody that, flitted through her mind. “You know, I think I’ll have that cider after all.”
Elizabeth arched a brow. “I thought you might.”
*****
Maddy was dying to give Lillian a sidelong glance, but since the abbess’s right hand was resting on the top of her head, she restrained herself. “Mistress Lillian and Sister Maddy,” the abbess said. “You have pledged your lives to each other in the presence of Salbine.” She lifted her hands and stepped back. “Rise, and greet each other as consorts.”
Maddy pushed herself to her feet and kissed Lillian on both cheeks, then embraced her. The assembled sisters’ voices swelled in song.
“We’ve gone and done it now,” Lillian murmured.
And Maddy couldn’t be happier. From the platform at the front of the chapel, she smiled at Emmey, who was sitting on the front bench with Rose and Nora. Emmey had better remember not to run.
When the voices faded, the abbess stepped forward. “And now, would Emmey come here, please.”
Don’t run.
Emmey sprang from the bench and started to run, then suddenly stopped and slowly walked to the steps, looking solemn in the pretty blue dress the seamstresses had delighted in making for her. Maddy wanted to give her an encouraging look, but Emmey’s eyes were on the abbess. Last night they’d reviewed what the abbess would say. Emmey only had to respond with one word.
The abbess leaned forward. “Emmey, you’ve just seen Mistress Lillian and Sister Maddy pledge their lives to each other. Now it’s your turn to make a pledge. Do you pledge to respect Mistress Lillian, Sister Maddy, and all the Salbine Sisters, Defenders, and workers who belong to our community?”
Emmey vigorously nodded.
Maddy grinned at the same time the abbess smiled. “Do you think you can say yes, so everyone can hear you?” the abbess said.
Emmey clapped her hands. “Yes!”
Laughter rippled through the assembly.
“Thank you.” The abbess straightened. “Please welcome Emmey to our community.”
“Welcome, Emmey!” numerous voices called.
Maddy motioned for Emmey to join her and Lillian, and rested her hand on Emmey’s shoulder when she stood in front of them.
The abbess raised her hands, palms up. “Sisters.” Robes rustled as everyone stood. “Do you pledge to support Mistress Lillian, Sister Maddy, and Emmey as they grow together?”
“We do,” they responded as one.
Abbess Sophia nodded in satisfaction and turned to Maddy, Lillian, and Emmey. “May Salbine bless you in your lives together.”
“Salbine’s will be done,” Maddy murmured along with Lillian.
The abbess faced the assembly, closed her eyes, and stretched out her arms. “May Salbine guide you. May Salbine provide for you. May Salbine keep you.”
“Salbine’s will be done,” Maddy said again.
“Please congratulate our newest family, then proceed to the dining hall for the sumptuous meal the cooks have prepared for us,” the abbess called as chapel bells pealed in celebration.
Not surprisingly, Lillian hung back as Maddy and Emmey descended the steps and sisters rushed forward to hug them. Maddy turned to beckon to her, but Lillian was in the arms of her sister. “Congratulations!” Rose cried, reaching for Maddy. The next ten minutes were a blur. Maddy lost count of the number of sisters who embraced and congratulated her, and would have been hard-pressed to identify them all later. Lillian eventually stood at her side, acknowledging congratulations with a nod, and accepting hugs from those brave enough to offer one.
The attention seemed to bewilder Emmey, but not frighten her. At one point Maddy lost sight of her, but could hear her chattering away with someone.
Finally the throng around them thinned. Maddy faced Lillian, intending to say something memorable and poignant, but words would ruin the moment. They beamed at each other.
“I’m hungry!” a little voice piped up.
Lillian didn’t roll her eyes, but Maddy could tell she wanted to. “I guess we should go to the dining hall, then,” Maddy said. When Emmey reached for her hand, she crouched to meet the little girl’s eye. “Would you mind if I hold Lillian’s hand, just this once?”
“Here, hold mine.” Rose offered her hand to Emmey, who willingly grasped it.
“Thank you for taking her tonight and tomorrow morning,” Maddy said to Rose. “We really appreciate it.”
“It’s no bother,” Rose said, slipping her other hand into Nora’s. “I enjoy her company.”
“So can we expect you at morning prayers tomorrow, Maddy?” Nora ended her question with a giggle.
Maddy gave her an indulgent smile as she took Lillian’s hand and fell into step with everyone.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay with you tonight, Mi—Maddy?” Emmey said. “I promise I’ll be quiet.”
“We’ve already talked about this. Lillian and I want some time alone together. You’ll sleep in your new bedchamber tomorrow.”
“Don’t you want to stay with me?” Rose teased.
“No, I do, but they’ll miss me,” Emmey said.
Rose smiled. “Oh, I see.” Nora covered her mouth. Maddy dared not look at Lillian, whose face would be a picture.
Emmey gasped. “I know, I’ll come see you as soon as I wake up!”
“No, you bloody-well won’t!” Lillian bellowed. “Wait for us to come for you.”
“Aw . . .”
“I don’t want to see you anywhere near my—our chambers, all right?”
“But what if I have to talk to you?”
Lillian’s face reddened. “You can wait!”
“But—”
“Emmey, do what Lillian says and wait for us to come for you tomorrow,” Maddy said firmly.
Emmey’s shoulders slumped. “All right.” She brightened when Maddy slowed down to peck her on the cheek. “You and Lillian are consorts! Now we’ll all be together!”
“Yes, we will.” Maddy’s cheeks hurt. “It’s a very happy day.”
“Are you happy, Lillian?” Emmey asked.
“Oh, yes, I certainly am.” Lillian cleared her throat.
Maddy met Lillian’s eyes and squeezed her hand. As she surveyed the sisters in front of her streaming to the Community Tower, their robes forming a kaleidoscope of colours, she thanked Salbine for not giving up on her and for bringing her home. She was in for an interesting few years, filled with love and laughter, bickering and exasperation. During the trying times, she might doubt her love for Lillian and question her worthiness as Emmey’s guardian, but she’d never again doubt that she belonged to the Salbine Order. She was, and always would be, Sister Maddy, of Merrin.
Thank you for reading
The Salbine Sisters
. If you enjoyed it, you might like Rymellan Fiction, a short story series about two women who live in a society that selects mates for its citizens. For more information, visit
Rymellan Fiction
.
For more information about me, visit
my website
.
May Salbine guide you. May Salbine provide for you. May Salbine keep you.
~ Sarah Ettritch